The New Generation of Community Foundations
Jenny Hodgson, Barry Knight and Alison Mathie (2012) GFCF and Coady International Institute
Community foundations have enjoyed considerable growth in recent years, not only in their number but also in their character. This emergence of a ‘new generation’ of community foundations is occurring within a larger context of other emerging forms of ‘social solidarity’ movements and institutions, including rural development philanthropy, member‑based organizing and other hybrid forms of citizen‑led actions.
“The New Generation of Community Foundations”, published by the GFCF and the Coady International Institute, explores the emerging community foundation phenomenon in the context of disillusionment with conventional channels of international aid.
The report draws on the literature relating to community philanthropy, mutual responsibility and the broader social economy, as well as empirical data on the growth of the field, and it provides an analysis of five case examples of community foundations in the Global South as evidence for a re‑conceptualization of their role and potential contribution as catalysts for citizen‑led and socially inclusive development.